Apparatus for forming a knitted pile on a base fabric

ABSTRACT

Pile loops are knitted into a base sheet by reciprocating latch needles which penetrate in a forward stroke the base sheet between stationary, but adjustable plush sinkers and then receive pile threads from thread guides so that the pile loops are formed on the plush sinkers during the return stroke of the needles.

United States Patent 72] inventors Bohumll Barton Kdyne; .llaromir Sedlecky, lrnha, both ol, Czechoslovakia [21] Appl. No. 804,141

{22] Filed Mar. 4, 11969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 197R [73} Assignee Elitex, Znvody Textilniho Strojirenstvi, Generalnl reditelstvi Libel-cc, Czechoslovakia [32] Priority Mar. 5, 11960 [3 3] Czechoslovakia [54] APPARATUS FOR FORMING A KNITTED PlILlE ON A BASE FABRIC 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 66/85 [51] lat. Cl 1004) 23/06 [50] lFielld oil Search. 66/85 A, 85, 83, 84, 86, 87

[S6] llelierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,309,900 3/1967 Wunsch 66/85 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum AtwrneyMichael S. Striker ABSTRACT: Pile loops are knitted into a base sheet by reciprocating latch needles which penetrate in a forward stroke the base sheet between stationary, but adjustable plush sinkers and then receive pile threads: from thread guides so that the pile loops are formed on the plush sinkers during the return stroke of the needles.

PATENTEH M1831 I9?! 3,602,011

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTORS (H /1 714, 6'4. 0 By Mao/m? $594 7 ATTOiiI APPARATUS FOR FORMING A KNITTED FILE ON A BASE FABRIC BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to knitting machines of the type known under the trade name Arachne" by which a base sheet which may consist of a fiber fleece, or be a woven or knitted fabric, is provided with Wales of warp knitted pile loops.

It is the object of the invention to improve apparatus for forming a knitted pile on a base fabric, and to provide an apparatus in which the pile loops are formed by a plush comb, which is stationary and independent of the support comb for the base sheet.

With these objects in view, an embodiment of the invention comprises a knockover comb, a support comb, and a stationary, but adjustable plush comb. The knockover sinkers of the knockover comb, the support prongs of the support comb, and the plush sinkers of the plush comb register with each other and form registering gaps open in the transporting direction of a base sheet which is guided through the passage between the knockover sinkers and the supporting prongs. Thread guides are disposed outward of the plush sinkers for feeding pile thread to a row of needles which have books and are movable in a forward stroke from a retracted position to an advanced position penetrating the base sheet and passing through the registering gaps so that the hooks of the needles are located outward of the plush sinkers for receiving pile thread from the thread guide. During the return stroke of the needles, pile loops are formed on the stationary plush sinkers and pulled through knocked-over old loops. In this manner, a course of pile loops is formed which moves with the base sheet in the transporting direction on the pile sinkers beyond the free ends of the same and out of the registering gaps.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a base sheet provided with a pile in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the plush comb in a different position than shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the plush comb; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the support comb and its supporting means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A base sheet is transported by transporting means, not shown, in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 1. A knockover comb located on one side of base sheet 20, has a row of knockover sinkers 4a, and a carrier portion 4 mounted on a support bar 3 which is secured to another support 2 mounted on the frame 1 of the machine.

On the other side of the base sheet 20, the supporting comb 6 is arranged which has supporting prongs 7 respectively registering with the knockover sinkers 40 so that the gaps between the same also register, and permit the passage of needies 16 provided with latches l7 and mounted on a needle bar 18 which is reciprocated in the direction of the arrow S by an arm 19. Support comb 6 is secured by screws 111 to an angular supporting means 5.

Outwards of support comb 6, a stationary plush comb is disposed which has a row of plush sinkers 16 which respectively register with support prongs 7 so that the gaps between plush sinkers also register with the gaps between support prongs 7 and permit the passage of the needles 16.

While the support prongs 7 and the knockover sinkers do have substantially the same length, the plush sinkers are longer and project beyond the ends of support prongs 7 in the transporting direction of fabric 20. Plush comb 9 is fixed to a mounting member 3 by screws 12, and has a bottom face sliding on the top face of a portion 5a of supporting means 5. Screws 13 pass through slots M, see FIG. 6, into threaded bores of the mounting portion 6, and as is best seen in FIG. 6, the plush comb means 8, 9, 110 can be adjusted along slots 14 and then secured by screws 13. Supporting portion 5a is secured by screws 15 to another portion of the supporting frame.

As is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 4, the distance between the registering plush sinkers and supporting prongs can be varied, but during operation of the apparatus, screws 13 fixedly secure the plush comb at a desired distance from the supporting comb and from the base sheet 20.

The supporting prongs 7 are either parallel to the plush sinkers 110, or define a small acute angle with the same.

As shown in FIG. 6, support portion 5a carries at its ends abutment blocks 23 which serve as stops determining the position of mounting portion 8 of the plush comb. The abutment blocks 23 assure that the plush sinkers l0 accurately register with the supporting prongs 7, and with spaces between adjacent needles 16. Also, the row of plush sinkers 110 must be parallel to the row of support prongs 7 across the width of the base sheet 20. This can be achieved by correspondingly adjusting the screws 13 in slots 14 at the ends of supporting portion 5a.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pile fabric made by the apparatus has pile loops 21a on one side, on the left side as viewed in FIG. 1, and on the other side of the base sheet 20, face loops 21b of pile thread 211, shown in broken lines.

The feeding thread guides 22 are operated in a known manner so that a tricot binding is produced. The back loops of the pile thread 21 are laid over the plush sinkers 10 so that the pile loops 21a are formed.

Various bindings can be obtained depending on the feeding of pile thread to the hooks of the needles. The length of the pile loops 21a varies depending on whether the pile thread 211 is laid over one plush sinker 10 in a tricot binding, or over two plush sinkers 10 in a plain binding. It is also possible to lay the pile yarn over more than two plush sinkers 110.

Since the supporting prongs 7 and the plush sinkers 10 are substantially parallel, the base sheet is transported parallel to the plush sinkers 10.

FIG. 2 shows the needles 16 in retracted position having pulled the pile thread 21 through three aligned gaps between knockover sinkers 40, supporting prongs 7, and plush sinkers 10. It is apparent that the length of the formed pile loops 21a depends on the adjusted distance between the plush comb 9 and the base sheet 20 which is guided by support comb 7 and knockover comb Sincethe base sheet is transported in the direction of the arrow B, each newly formed course is transported from a position in the region of the supporting prongs 7 to a position in which the thread is no longer located in the gap between supporting prongs 7, but passes beyond the same. In this position, and preferably for at least three courses, the pile loops are held by the plush sinkers 10 which project beyond the ends of the supporting prongs 7. The projecting end portions of plush sinkers 10 shape and hold three pile loops before releasing each course. In this manner, the length of the pile loops cannot be reduced by the pull exerted by the needles 16 during the return stroke to the illustrated retracted position.

Pile loops of different lengths can be made by adjusting the relative position of support prongs 7 and plush sinkers 10 in direction of the needle movement, as has been explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.

The fabric made by the apparatus of the invention is particularly suitable for carpets and furniture covers.

It will be understood that each of the elements of the apparatus described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application for manufacturing other types of pile fabrics.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

. 1. Apparatus for forming a knitted pile on a base fabric moving in a transporting direction; comprising a knockover comb and a support comb, said combs including carrier portions and rows of knockover sinkers and support prongs projecting in said transporting direction from the respective carrier portion, said rows of knockover sinkers and support prongs forming a passage for the base sheet; a stationary plush comb on the side of said support comb remote from said knockover comb, and including a mounting portion and a row of plush sinkers projecting in said transporting direction from said mounting portion, said knockover sinkers, support prongs, and plush sinkers registering with each other and forming registering gaps open in said transporting direction; thread guides disposed outward of said plush sinkers for feeding pile threads; and a row of needles having hooks and being movable in a forward stroke from a retracted position in which said hooks are located outward of said knockover sinkers, and an advanced position penetrating said base sheet and passing through said registering gaps, and having said hooks located outward of said plush sinkers and in the region of said thread guides for receiving pile threads fed by the same so that pile loops are formed on said plush sinkers during the return stroke of said needles and pulled through old loops on said base sheet knocked over by said knockover sinkers for forming a course of pile loops which move with the base sheet on said pile sinkers beyond the free ends of the same and of said supporting prongs and out of said registering gaps between the same.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supporting means for said carrier portion of said support comb; wherein said mounting portion of said plush comb is adjustably mounted on said supporting means for adjusting movement of said plush comb toward and away from said support comb in the direction of needle movement; and further comprising means for securing said mounting portion in adjusted positions whereby the length of said pile loops can be adjusted before operation of the apparatus and remains constant during its operation.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said supporting means is formed with slots and has guide means for said mounting portion; and wherein said means for securing include screws passing through said slots into said mounting portion for clamping the same to said supporting means, said screws moving in said slots during adjustment of said plush comb.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs.

5 Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plush sinkers are substantially parallel with the respective support prongs.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plush sinkers fonn a small angle with said support prongs for shaping said pile loops.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said needles include latches for closing said hooks for retaining pile thread in the same.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs where said needles pass through said ga s.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 w erein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs where said needles pass through said gaps; and wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supporting means for said carrier portion of said support comb; wherein said mounting portion of said plush comb is adjustably mounted on said supporting means for adjusting movement of said plush comb toward and away from said support comb in the direction of needle movement; and further comprising means for securing said mounting portion in adjusted positions whereby the length of said pile loops can be adjusted before operation of the apparatus and remain constant during its operation; wherein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs wheresaid needles pass through said gaps; and wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs. 

1. Apparatus for forming a knitted pile on a base fabric moving in a transporting direction; comprising a knockover comb and a support comb, said combs including carrier portions and rows of knockover sinkers and support prongs projecting in said transporting direction from the respective carrier portion, said rows of knockover sinkers and support prongs forming a passage for the base sheet; a stationary plush comb on the side of said support comb remote from said knockover comb, and including a mounting portion and a row of plush sinkers projecting in said transporting direction from said mounting portion, said knockover sinkers, support prongs, and plush sinkers registering with each other and forming registering gaps open in said transporting direction; thread guides disposed outward of said plush sinkers for feeding pile threads; and a row of needles having hooks and being movable in a forward stroke from a retracted position in which said hooks are located outward of said knockover sinkers, and an advanced position penetrating said base sheet and passing through said registering gaps, and having said hooks located outward of said plush sinkers and in the region of said thread guides for receiving pile threads fed by the same so that pile loops are formed on said plush sinkers during the return stroke of said needles and pulled through old loops on said base sheet knocked over by said knockover sinkers for forming a course of pile loops which move with the base sheet on said pile sinkers beyond the free ends of the same and of said supporting prongs and out of said registering gaps between the same.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supporting means for said carrier portion of said support comb; wherein said mounting portion of said plush comb is adjustably mounted on said supporting means for adjusting movement of said plush comb toward and away from said support comb in the direction of needle movement; and further comprising means for securing said mounting portion in adjusted positions whereby the length of said pile loops can be adjusted before operation of the apparatus and remains constant during its operation.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said supporting means is formed with slots and has guide means for said mounting portion; and wherein said means for securing include screws passing through said slots into said mounting portion for clamping the same to said supporting means, said screws moving in said slots during adjustment of said plush comb.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the Pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plush sinkers are substantially parallel with the respective support prongs.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plush sinkers form a small angle with said support prongs for shaping said pile loops.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said needles include latches for closing said hooks for retaining pile thread in the same.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs where said needles pass through said gaps.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs where said needles pass through said gaps; and wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supporting means for said carrier portion of said support comb; wherein said mounting portion of said plush comb is adjustably mounted on said supporting means for adjusting movement of said plush comb toward and away from said support comb in the direction of needle movement; and further comprising means for securing said mounting portion in adjusted positions whereby the length of said pile loops can be adjusted before operation of the apparatus and remain constant during its operation; wherein the free ends of said plush sinkers are spaced a distance corresponding to at least three courses from the points of said supporting prongs where said needles pass through said gaps; and wherein said plush sinkers project in said transporting direction beyond the free ends of said supporting prongs whereby the pile loops are shaped and guided by the projecting portions of said pile sinkers after passing over the ends of said support prongs. 